Top Biryani Spots in Jamaica, NYC: Where the Locals Actually Eat

Eight Bangladeshi kitchens, real prices and hours, and one five-minute stretch of Hillside Ave where six of them fight for your order.

LIVING PAGE · Prices, hours and ratings last checked September 2026

The best biryani in Jamaica Queens sits on one block: six kitchens within a five-minute walk of each other, wedged between halal markets and sari shops on Hillside Avenue. That is no accident. Jamaica is one of the fastest-growing Bangladeshi communities in the city, per NYC Tourism, and the neighborhood is centered on 169th Street and Hillside Avenue. All that competition keeps every kitchen honest.

We checked prices, hours and Google ratings for eight standout kitchens: six clustered on Hillside Ave, two more worth the short drive. Whether you grew up on Dhaka-style kacchi at weddings or you are a New Yorker doing a first Hillside run, skip the scrolling and go straight to ordering.

Best Biryani in Jamaica Queens: The Hillside Avenue Cluster

1Dhaka Restaurant and Party Hall

Dhaka anchors the west end of the Hillside Ave cluster and doubles as a go-to caterer for Bangladeshi weddings and community events. Reviewers who booked catering for 50-plus guests say the food holds up at scale, which is not a given. Regulars come back as much for the chai as for the biryani, and it is one of the earliest openers on the strip.

3.8★ · 153 Google reviews Reviewers consistently call out the chai and the catering service for large events, though a few flag inconsistent table cleanliness.

2Shahi Kitchen

Shahi Kitchen pitches itself as a taste of Old Dhaka (Puran Dhaka), and its kacchi biryani, cooked with fragrant chinigura rice, is the dish reviewers mention first and most often. Several call it among the best in the city. Portions lean home-style rather than flashy, and the vegetable curry gets specific praise as a side. It is a smaller counter-order setup, so expect to eat fast and move on.

3.8★ · 197 Google reviews The kacchi biryani draws the most praise, with reviewers split on whether recent batches are as consistent as the reputation suggests.

3Khalil Biriyani House

Khalil is the loudest name on Hillside Ave, with the second-highest review count on this list, and its goat biryani shows up in nearly every positive review. Google lists a 1 AM close, the latest here, which makes it the default for a late-night order. Service reports are mixed, so go in knowing the counter can be brusque during a rush.

3.1★ · 667 Google reviews The goat biryani and catering pricing get real praise, but a recurring complaint across reviews is curt service at the counter.

4Mehman Restaurant

Mehman is the newer name on this list and the highest-rated, with reviewers (including some who drove in from out of state) singling out the beef biryani and a fresh-made mishti doi. The dining room reads more upscale than most of its Hillside Ave neighbors. Reviewers mention the warmer, more attentive service again and again.

4.8★ · 414 Google reviews The highest-rated kitchen on this list, with reviewers repeatedly calling out the beef biryani and mishti doi alongside an attentive front-of-house team.

Quick Quiz: Which Biryani in Jamaica Queens Matches Your Order?

Four picks down, four to go. Tap a line below for a straight answer.

5Sagar Restaurant

Sagar has the deepest footprint on this list, with well over 1,500 Google reviews, nearly double the runner-up. It began life as a catering business in 1996, per its own site, and that site names kacchi biryani as its signature. That volume comes with more variance in the reviews, but the fish curry and chicken pulao are the dishes that keep coming up as the reliable order.

3.5★ · 1,567 Google reviews The sheer volume signals how central this spot is to the neighborhood, even as quality reports vary meal to meal.

6Ghoroa Restaurant

Ghoroa, open since 2004 per its own site, just came out of a full renovation, and reviewers who have been back since describe a noticeably cleaner, more modern dining room. It is also one of the few spots here serving a real breakfast menu that runs into lunch, alongside a beef bihari kabab reviewers keep ordering. Order the kacchi biriyani if you are here for the name of this list.

3.9★ · 843 Google reviews Reviewers who visited since the renovation describe a cleaner, more comfortable dining room, with the beef bihari kabab and breakfast spread getting frequent mentions.

Worth the Detour: Two More Spots for Biryani in Jamaica Queens

These last two sit outside the Hillside Ave cluster, a short drive rather than a walk, but they do something different enough to earn the trip.

7Kolapata Restaurant

Kolapata sits about half a mile northwest of the main cluster, near Parsons Blvd, and trades the counter-service format for something closer to home cooking. Reviewers repeatedly describe the food as more home-style than anywhere else on this list. It is also the spot to try ilish (hilsa) fish and fuchka rather than biryani alone.

4.5★ · 84 Google reviews Regulars describe the cooking as noticeably less oily than nearby competitors, on a smaller review base with a few off nights.

8Aasha Restaurant and Party Hall

Aasha sits east on Jamaica Ave, outside the main cluster, and doubles as a party hall for catered events. The achari khichuri gets called out repeatedly as a standout, and reviewers consistently mention a cleaner, more comfortable dining room than the Hillside Ave average. Hours run from 7 AM to midnight, among the longest on this list.

4.6★ · 130 Google reviews Reviewers consistently highlight the achari khichuri and a notably clean, welcoming dining room.

Prices, hours and ratings above were checked in September 2026. Ratings and review counts come from Google listings; where other sources disagree on hours or prices, we say so above. Restaurants on this strip shift hours around Ramadan and holidays, so confirm same-day if you are making a special trip. If a spot has closed or a new one deserves a slot, that is exactly what this list gets updated for.

Keep Exploring

• The 10 Best Desi Dessert Spots in NYC (2026): for after your biryani
• The Complete Guide to Halal Eating in NYC
• Inside Little Bangladesh: A Neighborhood Guide

Sources

1. NYC Tourism — Guide to Little Bangladesh, Jamaica, Queens
2. Wikipedia — Bangladeshi Americans
3. Google Maps listing — Dhaka Restaurant and Party Hall (rating, reviews, hours)
4. Google Maps listing — Shahi Kitchen
5. Google Maps listing — Khalil Biriyani House
6. Google Maps listing — Mehman
7. Google Maps listing — Sagar Restaurant
8. Google Maps listing — Ghoroa Restaurant
9. Google Maps listing — Kolapata Restaurant
10. Google Maps listing — Aasha Restaurant and Party Hall
11. Sagar Restaurant — official website
12. Ghoroa — official website
13. Ghoroa — Yelp profile
14. Kolapata — online ordering page (hours and menu prices)
15. Shahi Kitchen — online ordering page (menu prices)
16. Mehman — online ordering page
17. Mehman — hours listing (Zmenu)
18. Khalil Biriyani House — Zabihah halal listing